


i'll be waiting (but hopefully not for long)

by naomi_winchester



Series: Trekkie Love Triangle [3]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Jealous Spock (Star Trek), Love Confessions, M/M, Mutual Pining, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Pining, Song Lyrics, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-01
Updated: 2018-04-01
Packaged: 2019-04-16 19:33:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14171937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/naomi_winchester/pseuds/naomi_winchester
Summary: Bones gives up on waiting. He's waited long enough.It's time to show Jim just how much he means to Bones.DISCLAIMER: I don't own "I'll Be Waiting," by Lenny Kravitz. I used his lyrics tho :3





	i'll be waiting (but hopefully not for long)

Everyone took a seat, excited and anxious.

It was karaoke night again.

Everyone remembered the events that had occurred only a month ago and wondered if something so scandalous or interesting would happen again. Not that they were particularly happy about last month’s revelations, but the truth was kind of exciting.

But no one was more excited than Leonard McCoy.

He’d done his fair share of waiting. Jim had been living with him for a month now, and the captain had just recently started staying in his own room, able to be by himself for greater amounts of time. Bones is still unsure about the whole idea but eventually came to the conclusion that it was now or never.

He could only get the nerve up to confess his feelings so many times, after all.

And Jim?

Jim was starting to finally move on. He cried sometimes when the pain got real bad, but lately that had been happening less and less, and Jim was starting to feel really happy. He would smile more, and linger on the past less.

It seemed to be a miracle, considering how close he and Spock worked together. They had to be in the same room for hours at a time every day.

Jim chalked his quick recovery into having an amazing friend to help him through it. Often times, Jim had to restrain himself around Bones. It’s was just that… Bones was an amazing guy. He had helped him through his whole break-up moping, even though he’d disapproved in the first place. He held Jim when he cried over that stupid, pointy-eared Vulcan. He let Jim stay with him until he felt he could be on his own.

And Jim would never, ever, ever, ever say this aloud, ever, but Jim’s heart melted when Bones called him “honey,” or “sugar”.

But for several reasons, Kirk kept these feelings to himself.

One, Jim had just gotten through a horrible ending of a year-long relationship. It’s not that he expected McCoy to do what Spock had done, but he didn’t want McCoy to be a bounce-back kind of guy. Jim wanted to make sure that he _really_ had feelings for Bones, not some sort of fucked up, _you helped me through this, I’m super grateful, in fact, I’m so grateful that I’m in love with you._

He’s sure that wasn’t what this was, but he had to be extra sure, so he didn’t say anything about his feelings.

Two, who’s to say that Bones liked Jim like that, anyway? They’ve been platonic friends all these years… surely if Bones had liked him, something would have happened before now? And besides, Jim remembers very clearly that Bones sang a song to someone he already liked. He probably wasn’t emotionally available.

Which was a shame, but life is life. Jim supposes he’ll just keep waiting for some kind of sign.

Little did he know, he was about the get the biggest fucking sign in the galaxy.

Bones jumps up to the podium, waving at the crew. They all grin and wave back at him.

Spock is nowhere in sight. Good riddance. Uhura, however, is a tentative distance of 3 tables away from Jim, and she sits alone.

Bones grabs the mic and clears his throat. “I’m sure y’all remember the last time I was up here? I know it wasn’t as exciting as maybe the last karaoke night, but it was up there, I hope.” Laughter scattered throughout the room and McCoy grinned at the warmness of the room. “Well,” he drawls, “the person that song was for _obviously_  didn’t get the message if y’all remember.” More laughter. Jim laughs with them. “So, I suppose I should come right out with it this time. Jim?”

Jim looks up, startled. “Hm?”

Bones smiles, that soft smile reserved only for the captain. “This one’s for you.”

Right on time, the music starts, soft piano playing, then a drum beat just barely making it on the track before Bones begins to sing.

“He broke your heart, he took your soul…” Jim’s look of curiosity turns to one of hurt as he remembers, and it makes McCoy angrier on Jim’s behalf. But he to tries to not let it show as he sings, “You’re hurt inside because there’s a hole. You need some time to be alone, then you will find what you always know…”

Bones takes a deep breath, confession on the tip of his tongue.

Then he takes his chance.

“I’m the one who really loves you, baby. I’ve been knocking at your door!” Bones sings with passion, eyes closing as he pours every feeling he’s ever had about Jim Kirk into his voice and through the speakers. Kirk stares up at him in wonder, and it’s like all of the dots connect. McCoy sees the exact moment that Jim realizes that Bones is in love with him. He can see the exact moment where Jim remembers just what the last song Bones sang was really about.

“As long as I’m living, I’ll be waiting! As long as I’m breathing, I’ll be there! Whenever you call me, I’ll be waiting! Whenever you need me,” McCoy stares at Kirk with intensity, feelings written all over his face, sincerity ringing clear as he sings, “I’ll be there!”

The music slows down again, piano and the beat going soft once more. Bones frowns, looking down as he remembers all of those awful nights… “I’ve seen you cry into the night… I feel your pain, can I make it right?” He thinks of every time he had wanted to just gather Jim into his arms and make everything better, but… he couldn’t. His eyes go distant. “I realized there’s no end in sight. Yet still I wait, for you to see the light…”

His eyes go back to Jim’s, heart ablaze. “I’m the one who really loves you, baby! I can’t take it anymore!”

Kirk is numb with shock as he listens to Bones sing. All he can think is, _he’s singing for me. This song is for me. He loves me._ Jim watches as Bones sings again, “As long as I’m living, I’ll be waiting! As long as I’m breathing, I’ll be there! Whenever you call me, I’ll be waiting! Whenever you need me, I’ll be there!”

_How long has he been waiting for me?_

Kirk looks at Bones in wonder as he continues to sing, Jim’s face flushed red as he melts in his seat.

Bones grins. “You are the only one I’ve ever known that makes me feel this way, Jim, you are my own!” Then, he looks down, suddenly feeling bashful, but hopeful. “I want to be with you until we’re old…”

Jim looks up at him, floored.

“You have the love you need right in front of you! Please come home…”

Bones taps his foot, singing the chorus again, blood like fire through his veins. “As long as I’m living, I’ll be waiting! A long as I’m breathing, I’ll be there! Whenever you call me, I’ll be waiting! Whenever you need me, I’ll be there!”

And on the final time, the last time he sings it, he looks Jim dead in the eyes, daring him to doubt it.

“As long as I’m living, I’ll be waiting! A long as I’m breathing, I’ll be there! Whenever you call me, I’ll be waiting! Whenever you need me, I’ll be there!” The drums get louder, then they suddenly quiet, the soft piano being all that’s left.

Then, slowly, that fades out too, just leaving Bones, standing on stage alone, a crooked smile on his face as he sheepishly scratches the back of his neck.

The crew cheers, cat-calling, making McCoy blush. He grins as he watches Scotty stand up, putting both hands around his mouth and shouting, “He caught that one, laddie!” He opens his mouth to speak, then stops, suddenly chuckling.

“I, um- well, I was going to say something, but I didn’t really plan anything after the song, so…” He stops himself from rambling on, but Jim just sits there, mouth gaping. “Jim?”

Jim can’t help it. “You love me?” he asks Bones weakly.

McCoy jumps down from the platform, smiling. “Yeah, Jim. I do.”

Kirk swallows. “H-How long?” Bones is walking towards him.

“A long time,” he replies wryly, coming to a stop in front of the captain.

The crew is dead silent as they watch the exchange.

Bones gives a hesitant smile. “Do you feel the same way, Jim?”

Jim stands, taking McCoy’s hand, running his fingers over the doctor’s knuckles. “I’d be a fool not to,” he says softly, looking up at McCoy through long lashes.

Bones finally gives in to the urge to kiss Kirk, swooping into a kiss, hands around the captain’s waist. Jim leans into the embrace, trying to convey every emotion he’s ever felt for Bones into a single touch of lips.

The crew cheers once again, their shouts ringing in Kirk and McCoy’s ears. They part with a laugh, hugging each other tightly, and Jim buries his happy smile into Bones’ shoulder. Bones kisses the top of Kirk’s head with a grin.

_He’s finally mine. I get to finally love him like I was meant to._

Spock walks away from the window with a frown, hands clenching stiffly at his sides.

 

 


End file.
